Sprinkling system



April 26, 1932- F. M. POTTENGER, 1R 1,855,647

' .SPRINKLING SYSTEM Filed May 51, 1928' gl a Patented Apr. 2.6, 1932FRANCIS M. POTTENGERJR.,

F `IMOZNROVIA., CALIFORNIA srRIN'kLING SYSTEM `Application filed May 31,

This invention pertains to sprinkling systems, for lawns or othervegetation, and is particularly applicable to systems in which sprinklerheads are utilized in fixed positions E and arranged to sprinkle areasof definite size and shape. In its broader aspects it is simi# lar to myinvention shown and described in a co-pending application, filed May31st,1928, Serial No. 281,623, althoughY in the insta-nt case thespecific means for accomplishing my purposes is different.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a means operable inconnection with a water supply of definite head and pressure, wherebythe pressure may be varied to eEect the sprinkling of the entire areas.

I have conceived and perfected this invention particularly for use inconnection with sprinkler heads like, or similar to, that shown anddescribed in my co-pending application iiled March 9th, 1923, Serial No.623,960; however, it is to be understood that it may be utilized inconnection with other types of sprinkler heads where applicable.

Sprinkler heads, like that shown in my aforesaid co-pending application,have been devised for sprinkling areas of denite size and shape andthese have been found very effective; but in many cases they areprimarily arranged for sprinkling only the outer portions of theareaswithout any particular regard for sprinkling the portions adjacentthe sprinkler head except as this may be accomplished by the light sprayor drops fall- .35 ing from the streamsdirected to the youter portions.

As it is always a desideratum to conserve water supply and minimize theamount used for sprinkling lawns and the like and at the same timeprovidey an adequate irrigation, it is my foremost object to providethis means whereby an equal and adequate distribution of water over anyyparticular area may be effectively accomplished with a minimum ofwaste: My present invention accomplishes this in a very eiicient mannerand is adaptable to all sprinkling or irrigating systems and may beadapted to water supplies of various heads and pressures.

The salient feature of my invention are 1928. serial No. 281,625.

more fully set forth in thefollowing speci-p i.

iication, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings forpurposes of illustration. y Y g v Y In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the use of my invention inconnection with a lawn sprinkling system;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic` view illustrating houT a variable currentaccomplishes the entire sprinkling of a definite area;V y

Fi g. 3 is anenlarged sectional viewthrough one form `ofl mechanism ,Ihave designed for eifectingp aV variablev current in connection with awater supply of definite-head and pressure, being takenj as Vindicatedby the line 3 3 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken as indicated by the line 4-4 ofFig. '3. l

Referring now to these .drawings the numeral 10 designates generally myimproved variable control means, 11 a water supply pipe connected to themechanism 10, and12 a discharge or feed pipe connected, as by means oflateralsk 13 and 14, to any number of sprinkler heads l5.

While heads 15 ofany typemay be utilized in this system it may, for thepurpose ofkdis closing the principles of my invention, be as'- sumedthat these are ofa type similarto that shown in myaforementionedco-pending aplication for sprinkling areas of deiinitesize and shape.With sprinkler heads of this type ordinarily the outer portions of theareas get the most water while those portionsladj acent thesprinklerhead get the least; consequently either the outer portionsgettoo much water or the'inner portions do not get enough, within agiven period of time unless some means is devised for varying the forceof the water supply and thereby alteringthe trajectories of the streamsto throw them to points at `diiferent distances from the head. This Iaclcomplish by the mechanism 1 0.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3and 4 the numeral 16 designatesk awater tight housing enclosing the mechanism for varying the current tothe sprinkler heads 15. This is reduced at one end 17 lfor attachment tothe dischargepipe 12,while the water supply pipe 11 connects to itsopposite end, as at 18, and discharges water into the housing 16 throughan inlet port 19, in the form of a nozzle. A needle valve 20, of conicalconliguration is mounted adjacent on outlet port 21 around which aconical seat 22 is formed; the latter conforming` in angularityv to theconfiguration ofthe valve 20. `Valve 20 isrigidly mounted upon a stem 23and. this. is,

mounted longitudinally` slidable-- thev ref duced portion 16a 'ofthehousing,"1n'bear1ngs 24. Preferably the reduced portionV 16a. Qfgthe.

l housing will be substantially cylindrical and' the valve mountedconcentrlically,thereing the` bearings 24 being supported upon spiders25 designed to' offer a minimum obstruction to the passages of thevWater therethrough.

l"The valve. 20'is sojmounted that it. never entirely engages the seat22 but always permits the passage of a small quantity of: water so lthatthesu'pply Vto the Vheads 15V is never entirely-cut off and a quantityof water is always passing through the housing. kValve 2O`i`snor1nallyheldinits unseated positions,y

oraway from the seat`22, by theaction of an expansile helical spring26'conlined between the 'forward spider` 25 anda collar 27 Qn'the stein23. The re'ar spider 251acts asa stop to limit movement 'ofthe valvestem tothe left iii Figs. 3 ander.

` A shaft 28'e'Xtends transversely across the large portion 166 ofthehousing, being-revpipe v11` under pressure.v

vIn operation the'water supplyto the heads 15 is utilized, bythe 4meansdescribed, for rotating the'cam 29, and this, incombination with thespring'26, transmits to `the valve 20 aireciprocating motion towardsandl away Y fromtheV outlet port 21, which results insupplyi'ngfavariable 'current tofoneormore of the heads 15thro'ugh'thedischarge pipe 12'.

Als'the valve 20Y never' entirely seats to close the' outlet port21ftheA water wheel 30 ynever entirely stops rotating as long asthereis' any water,v pressure in the supply pipe 11. However, as thevalve'20 nears its seat 22 the velocity ofwater passingthrughfthe'housing 16iis lessened thereby lesseningthe amount deliveredto the/heads 15 and diminishing the 'speed oflr'otationolfthe wheel 30;'consequent- 1y ivhilether isless water' being delivered te the headsY15 when fthe v"a`lve20l nears Yits' seat its""pe"riod k'of 4ilo'WV iscomparatively longer `s ultgglly,and pressure delivered to the head,

biitas'stated above, due to the variable speed Qi a. z.ti0. 1.1v @tthe-dence the Periods Of time during which the water will fall upondiiferent portions. of the area,A from their outer bordersto. pointsadjacent. the-heads, will; be increased, vWhile the waterysupply iscorrespondingly. diminished, but'. these two substantially balance..each` other. which. results f' in a substantially.evenfdistribution of:Water over the entire area. `While I have herein shown and, describedthe preferred specific enfibodimentfof my iniention it. is.nevertheless, to` he understood l reserve the right to make 4such 'otherchanges or modifications .in construction. and i ara'ngef ment asarelpermittefdv under the. doctrine of. eguivalents. andlwithin thescopel ofrthe appended claims.

Having described a preferredformof my inventionz,"lqclaiin.:

1.. In a mechanism. ofitliehclass described, the combinationl'off a.watertight housing, inlet and .outletpports in said. housing, a `valveforV the outletfport,y yieldingmeans .for no r.- mally holding saidvalve in. opfen position, andy means'enclosediby the housing operable bythe waterpassingthrough the housing for intermittentlyclosingsaidvalve.. A

2.- In `a mechanisinfofjthe,class described, the combination ofa watertight housing, inlet 'andioutlet ports .in said housing,y avalve fortheoutletport, yielding means for. normally holding said-.valve in. open.position,

cam means for closing saidvalve, and. means actuated by. water passingVthrongh the. hous- -ingjforl continuously. actuating.'` saidV cam meansg to. intermittently closev said. valve 'againstthe action ,ofsaidspringf.,

3. In a mechanism of the class described the combination. of; a 'Waterstight housing, inlet andoutletports,in,said;lrousing, a. needle valve'moimtedadjacent the outlet port, means to preventsaid valve from fullyclosing saidoutlet port, yielding meansfor normally holding said. valvein. its widest open position, a cam. -f'or movling...said.fvalve to-Wards said voutlet port, andra waterfwheel adjacent theinletportladapted tofb'e rotated bythe force of .theincoming waterforcrot'a't- 4i Ina mechanism .oftheclass described, the combination ofa.watertight housing, inlet and outlet portsr in said housingiya conical'Sio ios

'seat surrounding the outlet port, a needle valve mounted adjacent theoutlet port, a

- valve stem mounted longitudinally slidable in the housing, yieldingmeans to normally hold said valve in its Widest open position and meansto prevent its entirely closing the outlet port, a shaft mountedtransversely of the housing, a cam on said shaft engaging the valve stemto intermittently move the valve towards the conical seat, a Water Wheelmounted on the shaft, said Wheel being positioned adjacent the inletport and adapted to be rotated by the force of thewater enteringtherethrough.

5. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of aWater-tight housing, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a valve forthe outlet port, rotatable Water-power actuated means in the housing,and operative means in connection With said WaterpoWer actuated meansand valve whereby said valve is continuously reciprocated to open andclose the outlet port.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of aWater-tight housing, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a valve forthe outlet port, yielding means for normally holding said valve in openposition, and means operated by the Water While passing through thehousing for intermittently closing said valve.

7. In a system for continuously conveying fluid from a source to adelivery point under pressure, mechanism to vary the rate of flow andpressure of the fluidv at the delivery point, comprising: a uid-tighthousing in the system, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a valvefor the outlet port, yieldingl means to move the valve in one direction,and means to move the valve in the opposite direction, said means beingactuated by the Huid passing to the delivery point and located upstreamfrom the delivery point.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 6th day of September, 1924.

FRANCIS M. POTTENGER, JR.

